This was the manga-era powerhouse draw card for Hero Deck, with a simple condition and a brutal three-card reward. Years later, it received a real card version, but that version was weakened into returning two Fusion Monsters from the Graveyard to the Deck to draw three, staying close to the original effect while being far less practical.
"I have the Elemental HERO you sent to my Graveyard, so I draw three cards!" Judai Yuki said as he Draw. Beta fell silent again, because the way he said it made it sound as if Beta had been helping him the whole time.
The three new cards slid into Judai Yuki's hand, and his eyes lit up. They were Avian and Elemental HERO Burstinatrix, the hardworking pair from early GX, plus one more Polymerization clinging to them like glue.
"Great, now I can launch my counterattack in one burst!" Judai Yuki excitedly pulled out Polymerization. "This way I can Summon my beloved Monster..."
But before he could continue, the other side cut in. "I activate Continuous Trap Call of the Haunted! I can revive a monster from the Graveyard in attack position!"
Beta pulled out a card that had already left the Graveyard. "I revive the card that was Destroyed last turn, Axe Dragonute, in attack position!"
Axe Dragonute returned with 2000 ATK. Judai Yuki thought for a moment, but a monster with 2000 ATK still could not overcome Elemental HERO Flame Wingman, and Elemental HERO Flame Wingman could also deal damage equal to the destroyed opponent monster's ATK, so one kick would still end the duel.
So Judai Yuki did not stop. "I continue and activate Polymerization! I fuse Avian and Elemental HERO Burstinatrix in my hand..."
"Heh, you want to use Polymerization to turn the remaining low-level Monster in your Deck into a higher-level Hero. I already saw through that."
"That tactic can indeed avoid the suppression of Crush Card Virus perfectly." Beta slowly raised his arm. "But my tactic has already been upgraded beyond the one Seto Kaiba used back then. The virus destroyer I use now is complete, and it has surpassed the original version!"
"Watch closely. This is the new virus developed in our era." He raised his hand, and another set card activated.
"I chain to the activation of Polymerization and open my set card! Trap Card Deck Devastation Virus! I tribute a DARK Monster on my field with 2000 or more ATK! Then I Destroy all monster with 1500 or less ATK in your hand, on your field, and among all the cards you draw over the next three turns!" (ANIME EFFECT)
"Huh!? All monsters with 1500 or less ATK are..." Judai Yuki's expression shifted slightly.
"That's right. This is the new strain evolved from the virus Decks over the years. It has already surpassed the original tactic Seto Kaiba used back then!" Beta laughed loudly.
All monsters with 1500 or less ATK in the opponent's hand, on the field, and drawn over the next three turns would be Destroyed. It was not as absolute as the earlier death virus that blew up every matching Monster in the Deck at once, but its suppression was not necessarily weaker.
The death virus with the anime effect had been a one-shot deal. It only destroyed all monsters with more than 1500 ATK in the opponent's Deck when it activated, and if those cards were later recovered from the Graveyard by Spells or Traps, they would no longer be affected.
But this poison virus was different. It did not wipe out all of Judai Yuki's Heros in one sweep, yet every Monster he drew over the next three turns would still be Destroyed.
In other words, he had no monsters he could play.
"Hahahaha! You didn't think that just because your Deck is full of weak low-ATK trash, my virus would be helpless, did you? I told you, the power of the evolved ultimate virus has no blind spots!" Beta laughed.
"This is bad..." Sho Marufuji said. "If both the over-1500 and under-1500 monsters get Destroyed, then doesn't that mean big bro has no monsters left to Summon?"
The reliable pair Elemental HERO Avian and Elemental HERO Burstinatrix that he had just drawn were both blown into the Graveyard. Judai Yuki naturally had no monster he could play for the moment, so he could only say, "Then I'll Set one card and end my turn."
"My Turn! Draw."
Beta drew, then narrowed his eyes at Judai Yuki's Back Row. There was only one facedown card.
"So you ended with just one Set card. Well, since you can't Summon a Monster, this is all you can do now."
Beta gave a smug laugh. "Looks like that Set card is your last hope. In that case, I'll remove even that."
"I activate my Set card, the Equip Spell Premature Burial! I pay 800 Life Points to revive a monster from my Graveyard in Attack Position!"
Beta, LP 1150 -> LP 350
"I revive the card I discarded to the Graveyard last turn. Darkstorm Dragon, Summon!"
A deep black Rift split open in the air, as if space itself had cracked. Cold wind swept up dust and fallen leaves from the ground, forming a towering black tornado.
A massive dragon slowly appeared at the center of the storm. Its body was covered in black scales, its huge wings spread wide, and every beat of those wings tore through the air with a sharp ripping sound.
Darkstorm Dragon, ATK 2700
"Darkstorm Dragon is a Gemini Monster. While it's on the field, I can Normal Summon it again to give it a new effect."
"So I Gemini Summon Darkstorm Dragon and grant it its effect!" Beta swept his arm out.
"Once Per Turn, by sending one face-up Spell or Trap Card on my field to the Graveyard, I Destroy all Spell and Trap Cards on the field! So I send the Equip Spell Premature Burial to the Graveyard and Destroy all Spells and Traps on the field!"
The doomsday-like tornado burst outward in a thick black wave and swallowed the whole field in darkness. Judai Yuki's Set card was dragged into the air and shredded into particles of light.
It was Trap Card Mirror Force.
"Ah, big bro's Mirror Force got..." Sho Marufuji cried out.
"Hahaha! What a pity, it was Mirror Force. If you had resolved it, maybe it could have bought you one more turn."
Beta shouted, "Battle! Darkstorm Dragon, direct attack!"
The tornado surged forward, and countless tiny Mystical Space Typhoons formed inside the violent currents around it. The storm packed with hidden blades tore across Judai Yuki's body.
"Ugh..."
Judai Yuki, LP 4000 -> LP 1300
Judai Yuki swayed and dropped to one knee. He immediately thought of the impact he had felt when he and Yugen had fought a Tag Duel in the Spirit World.
What's going on with this pain? Could this be... Shadow Duel?
He looked up at the man in black across from him and grew even more certain that this person was dangerous. Beta said confidently, "I told you already. You don't have even the slightest chance."
He Set another card and ended his turn. Then he looked at Judai Yuki with a cold grin. "If you surrender now, maybe you'll suffer a little less."
"What are you talking about?"
Judai Yuki brushed the dust off himself and stood back up, still smiling. "This is the first time I've seen a strategy this fun. How could I quit halfway through?"
"You..." Beta muttered.
Is something wrong with this guy's head?
"Your Deck is already infected by two viruses. Even if you want to Polymerization from your hand, you can't."